Jerukh eyes the little creature suspiciously, then nods toward where the crone's bedroom would lie;
"We should check for scrolls... and be mindful of rats..."
The alchemist rises and begins the search in earnest;
:
Emi rises and sets about helping to search the shack.
The ratman screams as Soliana beheads him.
Vigny had begun searching the house, moving back int the room where Megus had met her (probably) timely end doing something that people (probably) shouldn't be doing. When she hears the voices, curses, and swish-thump from the other room, she goes to tae a peek out.
When she sees what has happened she gapes, mouth open. at Soliana for a moment. She isn't surprised at what happened, it was only a matter of time before somebody got there. Vigny just figured it would be Reiko instead.
I guess ratman should have been the one to take the advice about honey and vinegar.
Vigny then goes back to the search.
Emi follows behind Vigny helping her sort through stuff in her search, and wondering if her attempt to encourage her new friend had been successful.
33 gp
masterwork dagger in a steel scabbard worth 15 gp
scroll tube containing two scrolls of cure light wounds, three scrolls of false life, and a scroll of water walk (all of these scrolls function at caster level 7th)
and a detailed map of Brinestump indicating the locations of two shipwrecks, the Licktoad's village, Walthus's cabin, several paths (including secret ones only Megus apparently knew), and the entrance to a cave system marked with a skull and a note that danger lies there.
After about an hour of searching, you find the secret stash in Megus's old workshop. The surprisingly dry nook contains a number of items of interest, but elsewhere in the house is naught by moldering parchment and crumbling books. During your search, Gkirkhan takes care of the rats and the ratman.
About the time you retrieve the items from the nook, you hear a soft, weak voice in the main living room.
"Wh-where am I?"
Emi follows behind Vigny helping her sort through stuff in her search, and wondering if her attempt to encourage her new friend had been successful.
Vigny responds to Emiliana's comment with a brief smile. But it doesn't convey a simple "thank you". She hadn't given what the ratman said a second thought. Chainmail is never flattering, and the subject had never really concerned her anyway. Vigny found a can-do attitude and goodly amounts of athleticism to be better than acres of cleavage. Emiliana was being nice, but she was trying to salve a sore spot that wasn't there.
Gkirkhan is already bolting for the door to the living room and calling out Iona's name.
Emi curiously follows after Gkirkhan. "Your lady has avoken?" she asks happily, "I told you Jerukh vould help! Do ve hafe any decent rations ve can gife her? Perhaps ve should take the time to stew up the rats so she can eat?"
When Vigny hears their second new friend is awake, she cuts her search off to go see how the woman is doing. As she joins the others she updates them.
"That's most of the place gone through, and quite a few nice things found. It might be worth looking further, but I doubt there's more than a single spot in this house that isn't rotting and nasty."
You all emerge to find a very surprised looking Iona awkwardly patting Gkirkhan on the back as her holds her in a bear hug. Her eyes, clouded over as if she was blind, peer over the large half-orc's shoulder and widen further as she notices all of you.
"Oh dear, I hope Gkirkhan hasn't been flirting with you too much," she says weakly, "or that Mueller wasn't promising things he ought not, again."
She chuckles a little at that, but stops as she notices the look on Gkirkhan's face.
"Wh-what happened?"
Jerukh allows himself a smile, as his patient rouses.
As the others gather he round he slips on the familiar cloak of quiet anonymity.
"Don't vorry," Emi replies with a smile, "he vas so concerned vith your vellbeing I don't think he efen noticed ve vere vomen."
Reiko gives the ratling's body to the swamp and sets about washing the blood from the rope. Periodically, she glances at Soli, trying to determine how the woman fares. Execution was very different from killing in battle.
She looks from each of you, then back to Gkirkhan before speaking again in a quiet voice.
"Gkirkhan, wh-where's Mueller? What happened to Tristan and Caesar?"
Gkirkhan looks away, unable to meet Iona's eyes as he takes a seat next to her.
"Mueller, he iz dead, und Caesar und Tristan left us," he says bluntly, trying to be merciful in being quick with the news.
Iona looks stunned and collapses against him as her clouded eyes become wet with tears. After a moment, she looks up to you again.
"Thank you," she says weakly, "all of you. I owe you my life."
Vigny leaves it to the others to orient Iona. She has yet to spend time on prayer and meditation, so she finds a place away from the conversation and begins her morning ritual.
Jerukh smiles awkwardly at the warrior's thanks, but remains largely stoic.
After a few minutes, Gkirkhan begins to get his and Iona's things together and get's ready for the trek back to Sandpoint.
Emi does here best to gather Jerukh and their new companions. While the other half-orc is at work, rather loudly, preparing his equipment she quietly asks, "How far are ve planning to take them? Personally, I vould like to take them all the vay to Sandpoint--that vay ve could take hot baths and get a good night sleep before ve set back out--but it seems like something ve should decide ahead of time, instead of hafing to debate it in the vilderness..."
Jerukh nods at Emiliana's suggestion, before adding succinctly;
"We could re-supply also..."
"Sure, and baths would be nice."
"There's no good soap out here. I need some soap that smells nice" Vigny counters.
"Mmm... fancy soap... and hot vater!" Emi answers with a grin, "Its settled then, ve'll take them back to Sandpoint. Ve better get going soon though..."
When asked what they would do once they got back, Gkirkhan gives a chuckle. "Hy guess Hy vill find some vork und make some coin vhile she gets healed op," he says.
Iona begins to protest, and tries to stand, only to collapse back onto her bedroll and admit, "Gkirkhan has the right of it. After I can walk again, I don't know what we'll do."
After a few more minutes the seven of you leave Megus's hut behind. Even now, the heat and humidity is oppressive, but the thought of a bath and getting out of the swamp is enough to spur you on. It does indeed take most of the day, and Iona sleeps through most of it as she's carried by Gkirkhan, but as you exit the swamp and make the main road an hour after noon, Iona asks the five of you, "what are your names? I'm afraid I didn't catch them before I fell asleep."
"I'm Emi," the Varisian girl answers with a smile, "how long hafe you and Gkirkhan been together?"
The half orc alchemist once again flashes his awkward smile;
"Jerukh."
Vigny carries Iona's armor back so the trek will be easier for Iona and Gkirkhan.
She gives Iona a nod and a grin. "Vigny, I follow Cayden Cailean."
"Reiko" offers Reiko. She briefly debates offering some explanation as Soli and Vigny had, but shakes off the impulse. "I hope your former compatriots didn't have all the ears you collected. Or, if so, they have stayed to split the profits of your work." Her pause suggests she thinks the latter unlikely.
"Vell," Gkirkhan says with a toothy grin, "He might haff wanted to hold onto de ears, bot Hy may or may not haff stolen dem in de middle ov de night."
Iona looks at the half-orc that is holding her in stunned silence for a moment before breaking out into girlish giggles that she fails to stifle at the news.
"Oh, those two will not like that," she says after she recovers a little from the fit of laughter. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. As for your question, Emi, Gkirkhan and I have been companions for about six months. We meet in Riddleport shortly before we joined Caesar's company. I think Gkikhan has broken the contract we signed, but I think it was broken when Caesar didn't try and get us out of there when Mueller and I were in need of help."
Turning to Soliana as best she can while being carried like a small child in Gkirkhan's arms, she gives the half-elf a smile.
"But enough of that. Well met sister. It is always an honor to meet another follower of the Eternal Rose, and to you Vigny. I find things always get interesting around the followers of Cayden Cailean."
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"Contract?" Emi asks with a bemused chuckle, "No, I mean how long hafe you two been lofers?"
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Gkirkhan stops in his tracks, and both he and Iona stare bug-eyed at Emiliana in stunned silence before the both of them blurt out, "Lovers?!" in unison while blushing furiously.
Vigny sniggered to herself, she'd been wondering the same thing. She's as surprised by their reaction as they seemed by the question.
"If you're not, why not? It's obvious you should be."
Reiko weighs the implications. "'Lovers' has a specific meaning, yes? Perhaps they are... still 'courting' and haven't pillowed yet." The Tien hypothesizes, trying to navigate the odd rules of Avistani courtship.
"No. No. We're not lovers," Iona answers, her voice holding a slight, nervous edge.
"Jah! Ve iz friends," Gkirkhan adds.
"Yes, close friends!"
"Bot not dot close."
"No, not that close. Besides, I'm still... trying..." Iona says before her voice trails off and a sad, lonely look comes over her eyes as she turns away and huddles against Gkirkhan, her shoulders bobbing slightly from what are likely sobs.
"Dere haff been times vhen life has been hard for Iona," Gkirkhan says after a few moments of silence, "she vas not alvays so scarred."
Emi falls into a giggling fit until Gkirkhan turns the conversation serious.
"I'm sorry... but, you know," she offers earnestly, "the Eternal Maiden is the goddess of lofe too... perhaps she is profiding an opportunity for you to more fully understand her character..."
Vigny's face takes on a pinkish hue and she shuts up.
"Do hyu remember vhen Ileosa ruled Korvosa," Gkirkhan asks.
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Jerukh stoically watches the interplay.
He cringes internally as his companions press and question on the nature of Iona and Gkirkhan's relationship.
Ai Mamă! Affairs of the heart are the most complex of formulae! Best to never love. Yes, best.
At the mention of Riddleport, the healer's expression hardens and he looks to the floor whilst listening on.